Surgical truss



f Model.)

J. EDSON.

SURGICAL muss.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1883.

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. UNITED vSTATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JACOB EDSON,OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SURGICAL TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,228, dated February2'7, 1883.

i Application inea June 5,1832. (Model.)

To all whom -it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB EDsON, a citizenot the United States, residing at Boston, in the county ot' Suiolk andState ot Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Surgical Trusses and I do hereby declare that the sameare fully described'in the following specification and illusjustedwithout. undue pressure upon other tion ofthe curved holder.

parts of the body.

The invention is carried out as follows, ref erence being had to theaccompanying drawings, on which- Figure l represents a perspective viewof my improved truss. Fig. 2 represents a crosssection ot" the springbelt on the line A B, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a front view ofmy improved composite pad and a por- Fig. 4 represents a back view ofthe improved pad. Fig. 5 represents a cross-section of the pad on theline O D, shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section ofthe improved pad on the line E F, also shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7represents an outside view ot' the rear pad. Fig. S represents alongitudinal section on the line G H, shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9represents a cross-section on the line I K, also shown in Fig. 7.

Similar letters refer to similar parts whereever they occur 011 thedifferent parts. of the drawings.

a is the steel spring, as usual, which spring is covered on its outsidewith a suitable covering-strip, b, made ot' cotton, linen, silk, ormaterial suitable for the purpose. On the inside the sprin gis coveredby the strip or band of felt c, which is made like the outer cover, b,somewhat wider than the spring a, outside of which the inner and outercoverings, b c, are united together by sewing, as shown in Fig. 2. Asbel'ore stated, the top and bottom edges, o c', of the inner felt bandor lining c project beyond the upper and lowergedges ot' the steelspring a, as shown in Fig. 2, by which I provide' very soft andanti-chating edges of the felt lining c above and below the edges ot'the spring a. The felt lining or belt-cushion c is made of properthickness and density, so as to eliminate heat and moisture and at thesame time be'easy and comfortable to the wearer.

The rear end of the steel spring ais provided with a rear pad or rearsupport, which is made as follows: It consists ot an outer met-al plate,d, beneath which isV arranged the holder e., made of leather or othersuitable material, the edges ot' which project a little beyond the metalplate d, as shown in Figs. 7, S, and 9. On the inside of the steelspring a., beneath the leather holder e, is located the felt pad orcushion f, having its outer edges projecting bcyond the leather holdere, so as to form a soft, comfortable, and non-heating edge for theiuside of the aforesaid rear pad. rlhe said rear pad or support issecured .to the end ot the spring a by means of the screwsg g, whichpass through perforations in the felt cushionf, steel spring a, leatherholder e, and the elastic belt z', and are screwed into thescrewthreaded sleeves d d', which are cast on the inside of theA metalplate d. rl`he upper and lower edges ot' the leather holder c and `feltcushion fare united together by means of stitches, as shown in Fig.9,and form together, as it were, a tube, into which the end of theelastic belt t' is inserted and in which it may be adjusted to obtainthe desired tension previous to securing the cushion j', leather holdere, and spring a to the metal plate d. Thus it will be seen that the rearpad above described serves also as a buckle for holding and adjustingthe length of the elasticstrap or belt fi. Thelatter may be lengthenedor shortened at any time simply by unscrewing the screws g g and slidingthe elastic belt 'i forward or back, and when properly adjusted it isagain secured in place by screwing up the screws g g throughcorrespondingholes in the elastic belt i andinto-the screwthreadedsleeves d d in the metal plate d.

By making the inner lining, c, for the spring a of felt its edges arealways kept soft and comfortable without the annoyance of ripping orunraveling, as would be the case if cloth or a similar woven lining wereused, as the edges ofthe felt will, as they wear ofi', retain their eerases normal soft, yielding, and comfortable condiball o between theperforated part of convex tion, and this is a great advantage in theconstruction of surgical trusses.

The felt lining of both the spring c and rear pad may be removedwhenever so desired to cleanse them iu case they-should become soiled orsticky, or replaced with new ones ata very small expense.

My improved composite pad is constructed as follows: It is composed ofan inner convex metal shell, k, and an outer metal plate, Z, betweenwhich is secured the feltor deer-skin cushion m,.having its outer edgeprojecting beyond the outer edges ofthe inner metal shell, k, and outermetal plate, Z, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The dotted lines inFigs. 5 and 6 show the curvature of the felt cushion m when the improvedcomposite pad is in use, and in this manner I produce a very soft andcomfortable as well as agreeable pad-cushion, and by its use the pad isprevented from being pressed too far into the ruptured place of thebody. The inner convex metal shell, 7e, outer metal plate, Z, and feltcushion m are firmly secured together by means of the screws mm, whichpass through holes in the outer metal plate, Z, and cushion m and arescrewed into screw-threaded projections Zt" 7a It" ou the inside of theconvex shell k, as shown in Fig. G.

Through the convex shell k is inade a suitable perl'oration, into whichis made to rest the ball o of the curved metal holder o, as shown inFig. 6, which ball ois held in place by means of tapering tubularprojection Z on the metal plate Zin such a manner asfto allow theextreme portion of the ball o to project slightly beyond the convexshell Zr, so as to form a stationary fulcrum, resting on the rupturedpart, and on such stationary fulcrum the iniproved composite pad maymove or turn, according to the position or motion of the wearer, and inthis manner the efficacy ofthe pad and truss is materially increased.

The outer metal plate, Z, is provided on one side with a slottedopening, Z, extending from its center outward to its edge, so as toenable the shank of the curved holder o to be placed in its properposition, so as to place the shell Zr and inner end of tapering tubularprojection Z', by which a universal-joint connection is establishedbetween the pad and its holder. The curved metal holder o isjointed tothe perforated regulator-disk p by means of the adjustable set-screwq.Theregulatondisk p is riveted or otherwise secured t0 the forward end ofthe metal spring a, and the relative position of the curved holder 0 tothe regulatordisk 1J is obtained, as usual, by interlocking the usualprojection on the outer end ot the holder o with any desiredperforation, p', on the regulator-disk p.

Upon the front of the regulator-disk p is made a hooked projection, a,which serves torthe purpose ofhocking and securing thereto theperforated strap r, which is attached to the front end of the elasticbelt t', and by this means a very easy adjustment is obtained forsecuring the pad in place. By making the holder ocurved, as shown, itenables me to adjust the pad at any desired inclination toward the body,so as to fit properly to the ruptured part without hinderance, and tooccupy the least possible space.

That I wish to secure by Letters Patentand claim is l. In a surgicaltruss, the rear pad, with its fastening device and elastic-strap holdercombined, consisting` of the outer metal plate, d, holder e, feltcushion j', and fastening-screws g g, as set forth.

2. In combination, the convex metal shellk, outer metal plate, l,intermediate and outwardly-projecting cushion, m, and holdero with itsball 0, as described.

3. In combination, the convex shell 7c, outer metal plate, Z, with itsslot Z, intermediate and outwardly-projecting cushion, m, and the holder0 with its ball o', as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JAUUB EDSON.

VitneSSes:

ALBAN ANDRN HENRY CHADBOURN.

